Summary
President Donald Trump’s nominee, Paul Ingrassia, withdrew from consideration to lead the Office of Special Counsel after offensive text messages came to light. Several Republican senators decided not to support him, causing Ingrassia to step down from the nomination process.
Key Facts
- President Trump nominated Paul Ingrassia to lead the Office of Special Counsel.
- Texts from Ingrassia contained offensive remarks about Martin Luther King Jr. and references to having "a Nazi streak."
- The public revelation of these texts led several Republican senators, including some loyal to Trump, to oppose the nomination.
- Ingrassia withdrew from the nomination as he lacked enough support from Republican senators.
- The Senate Committee on Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs was set to hold a hearing for Ingrassia's nomination.
- Senate Majority Leader John Thune and others hoped for the White House to officially withdraw Ingrassia's nomination.
- Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called for Ingrassia to be removed from his current role with the Department of Homeland Security.
- The Office of Special Counsel protects government employees and whistleblowers and enforces the Hatch Act, which limits political activities by federal employees.
